Aristarkh Chernyshev’s video sculpture “UserPic” is a monument to the user’s avatar; to its constant fluctuation and variability; to the situation when a known to nobody person behind the avatar wants everybody to see him such as he is represented by his avatar.
Thus, there is a certain connection between a profile picture and a Renaissance portrait of a wealthy city dweller who hired an artist to make his portrait to represent himself to the society, i.e. a specific userpic to present oneself to the world.
Video sculpture “UserPic” is a result of experimenting with minimalistic shape, low-res aesthetics, animated 3D texture as well as RGB LED technology.
RGB LED screen in the shape of a user icon carries 3D texture which is being generated by means of a special programme for each avatar-portait.
Except for a video sculpture as an added bonus at the realization of this project is a special programme communicating with your laptop cam. http://shining-tv.com/userpic/index.html
(We make an apology to the i-pad and some MacOS users for the programme being not compatible with these devices.)

First exhibited during the “Circle of Light” Moscow International Festival in October 2014.